Patate e Peperoni

Potatoes and Peppers

I've been the ready recipient of nature's bounty all summer:  fruit as it ripens, eggs from the hens, fagiolini (string beans), and more zucchini than a girl knows what to do with.  I've also been given sacks of peperoni, the local variety is friggetelli, which are slender, pointy peppers rather than bell-shaped.  They're sweeter and thinner.  My neighbor recited this easy recipe to utilize them.  It's good with a bit of "piccante," as they call peperoncino in these parts.

Adjust it depending on how many people you're serving:

A few potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced in half
about 10 peppers (cut off the stems, wash, and slice)
salt and pepper
peperoncino (chile flakes or chile oil)
pinch of oregano

Boil the potatoes for about 8 minutes to partially cook them.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat some olive oil and add the garlic.  When it starts to brown, remove the cloves and discard.  Add the pepper slices and saute over medium heat until they become soft.  Add the potatoes and remaining ingredients along with about a half-cup of water.  Cover and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring now and then and adding more water if needed to keep it from drying out.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Grazie, Artusi

While Italy's celebration of unification was rather lackluster, something the whole nation can get behind is the 100th anniversary of Artusi.  Every household has a copy of the book that brought the country together more surely than politics or paper-signings every could.  The legendary cookbook author served up a collection of recipes that spanned the peninsula, the first of its kind.

I'm an Artusi devotee, so in honor of this anniversary I'm offering one of my favorite Artusi recipes.  Enjoy!

Here it is, in Artusi's words (as translated by Kyle Phillips):

Pollo alla Marengo

On the eve of the battle of Marengo, Napoleon's cook was unable to find the chuck wagons in the confusion and was forced to improvise, using stolen hens.  The dish became known as chicken Marengo, and it's said that Napoleon always enjoyed it, less for itself than because it reminded him of a glorious victory.

Chop a young chicken into pieces.  Saute it with 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 of oil, seasoning it with salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.  Once the pieces are browned on all sides, drain off the fat, dust the meat with a level tablespoon of flour, and sprinkle it with 1/2 cup of dry white wine.  Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of broth over the chicken to keep it from drying out, cover it, and simmer it until done.  Before serving, sprinkle it with minced parsley and squeeze half a lemon over it.  This is an appetizing dish.

Buy the Artusi from Amazon:


Try this other Artusi recipe from my archives:  Maccheroni alla Napoletana

in Solidarity: Salmon Teriyaki

Since the tsunami struck I've been horrified and saddened by the images from Japan.  We await news of friends, praying they're safe.  I wonder about the beautiful and adventurous ladies who visited our village a few months ago, eager to see our mountain towns and participate in cooking classes.  My neighbor opened his wine cellar to them and I translated from Italian to English (which was then translated to Japanese) as Peppe explained the principles of his organic, home-made vino.  Their sweet smiles come into my mind and I just wonder...

There are many avenues for assistance, as this article on Huffington Post points out. 

Today I'm giving you a recipe a world away from Italy, but close to my heart.  It comes from a friend who owned a Japanese restaurant in New Mexico.  Enjoy, and do consider contributing to the relief efforts.

Salmon Teriyaki

1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup dark soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBSP fresh ginger, minced
dash of red pepper flakes
2 TBSP light oil

Combine all in a saucepan and cook until reduced by half and thickened.  Reserve half the sauce; use the other half to brush on the salmon filets while grilling.  Drizzle the reserved sauce over the cooked salmon, and serve with hot, steamed rice.

Beans and Greens

My grandpa likes to make a version of this down-home dish with a long-simmered ham hock with which the dry beans cook for hours.  It's rich - and fatty, and takes a lot of time.  I prefer the little lighter version they make here in Italia, using just a little bit of pancetta and a jar of beans.  There is just enough pancetta to add flavor.  It's done in about ten minutes, and it can be a main dish or an accompaniment.  Grandpa uses collard greens, but I prefer the fresh, tender spinach.

Cannellini e Spinaci

Extra virgin olive oil

1-2 TBSP pancetta, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

about 1/2 pound spinach, cleaned

1 can cannellini beans, drained

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup white wine

dash red chile flakes

Drizzle some olive oil in a saucepan or deep skillet that is large enough to hold all the spinach.  Add the pancetta and saute until starting to brown, then add the garlic.  When the garlic starts to color, add the spinach and mix well.  Saute and toss to get the spinach to start to wilt.  Add the wine, cover, and simmer about 5 minutes. Uncover; add the seasonings and the beans, and cook about 5 minutes.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Liquore al Caffe'

The after-dinner hit of our Italian Thanksgiving feast was the liquore al caffe' that I made to serve as a digestivo.  Italians take their digestion quite seriously, and a little hit of booze to close the meal is said to aid the process.  I just know that it tastes good!  This recipe hails from a nearby town, Laurenzana, where my great-grandmother came from.  In fact, it was rather famous and -say the townspeople-the recipe was sold to Borghetti, a corporation based in northern Italy, which distributes coffee liqueur all over Europe.

Liquore al Caffe di Laurenzana

1/2 liter of freshly made espresso (made in the Moka pot)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 liter grain alcohol (or vodka)

Put the sugar in a heat-proof container that closes tightly; pour the hot espresso over it and stir to dissolve.  Let cool.  Add the vanilla and alcohol.  Let sit for a few weeks to mellow.

Panino di Melanzane

Eggplant Sandwich

Don't start thinking that this is an ordinary veggie sandwich.  Oh, no.  You should know me better than that by now!  Instead of plopping some grilled or fried eggplant between bread, the eggplant becomes the delivery mechanism while the oozy-fresh, melty mozzarella is sandwiched in between.  Just a couple of ingredients make this a fast lunch option or a delicious appetizer.

Eggplant, sliced
fresh mozzarella, sliced
a bit of marinara sauce
basil leaves

If you have young, really fresh eggplant you can use them freshly-sliced.  Otherwise, slice them, salt them and leave the slices to draw out the bitterness for about 1/2 hour.  Then rinse and dry well with paper towels.

Lightly coat the eggplant slices in flour.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Fry in olive oil until golden brown and drain on paper towels.

Heat the sauce.  Spread a little bit of sauce on a slice of eggplant, then top with mozzarella to cover the eggplant.  Sprinkle a couple of basil leaves, then top with another slice of eggplant.  Press together and eat!

Agnello Ammollicato

I'm back in Basilicata and enjoying the down-home flavors of the Motherland.  Lamb features heavily in these mountain areas.  It is prepared in a variety of ways and it is so tender and flavorful.  One of my favorites that comes from the central mountain zone is called agnello ammollicato, or lamb with bread crumbs.  It uses the mollica di pane recipe that I've shared with you previously and makes a humble but delicious dish.

Lamb chops or pieces (best with a bit of bone)
mollica di pane
olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, sliced
oregano
peperoncino (chile flakes)

Rub the lamb pieces with a bit of olive oil and place in a baking dish.  Sprinkle on the mollica di pane, the garlic slices, the oregano and peperoncino flakes, along with a bit of salt and pepper.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Bake at 400 for about an hour, until the lamb is tender and the breadcrumbs are golden.